Heimer



(No Model.)

M. E. OPPENH EIMER CLUSTER SETTING FOR GEMS;

No. 537,710. Patented Apr. 16, 1895.

-chipping the stones at their exposed girdles UMTED *ra'rns-p Fries.

MILTON E. OPPENHEIMER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CLUSTER-SETTING FOR GEMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 537,710, dated April16, 1895.

Application filed May '7, 1894. Serial No. 510,267. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILTON E. OPPEN- liEIMER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residlng in the city, county, and State of New York, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Oluster-Settings for Gems, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved cluster setting for gems, and theobjects of my invention are, support and protection to the stonescompletely around the girdle, facility for cleaning, increasing orenhancing the brilliancy of the stones by presenting a more extendedsurface to the action of the light, affecting the color of the stone bythe color of the gold band at the girdle.

In carrying out my invention I provide a supporting wall that conformsto the shape of the article or setting made, and this wall is providedwith a plurality of projecting arms that extend outwardly or away fromthe wall and taper, and whose outer ends or extremities are allconnected by narrow curved bands which form outer boundaries to theinclosed stones in the cluster at their girdles. These bands onlyconnect the arms at the outer portion of the girdle of each stone of thecluster, so that the under surfaces of the stones of the cluster areexposed to the light, the device such as the bezel, &c., for sup portingor carrying the setting in use being connected to the said wall withinthe cluster of stones. The aforesaid bands cover and protect the stonesat their girdles and prevent injury thereto from external contact aswell as prevent their being accidentally unset, as without said bandsthere would be great risk of by violent contact with any other objects,and besides pressure applied to the stones below the girdles even by thefingers in securing the gem setting on the person would be liable by theleverage exerted to pull a stone out of the setting. The bands employedby me pre vent all this and make the stones secure.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is aplan; Fig. 2, an inverted plan, and Fig. 3a cross section at 00, 00, Fig. 1, representing my improvements.

I provide a supporting walla as a basis for each cluster setting. Thismay be circular or oval, or a long oval pointed at either end or a stripof fanciful form, according as the setting is to be for a ring,ear-ring, stud, scarfpin, brooch or ornament. The openings in which thegems are set are formed by a plurality of projecting arms 1) extendingout from said wall a either at one or both sides thereof and narrowcircular bands 0 connect the extremities of said armsb together. Theextremities of the arms I). are forked or spread.

The upper surface of the wall (It is approximately horizontal and theupper surfaces of the arms I) and bands 0 are in the same plane and arepreferably slightly inclined to the upper surface of the walla. Theunder surfaces of said arms I) have a marked inclination upwardly fromthe base of the wall at the union of the arms I) and wall a, and theprecious stones are set and supported at their girdles by the metaladjacent to the upper surfaces of the wall a and arms 1), and by thebands 0 that extend around and'cover only the outer portions of thegirdles of the stones between the arms 19. Thus the under portions ofthe stones are left open and are not covered up. Hence the light hasfree access to the backs of the stones as well as to the faces, and thebeauty of the precious stones is enhanced thereby. This open back allowsthe stones to be readily cleaned.

The wall CL and arms I) inclose the greater portions of the girdles ofthe stones in the usual manner of setting stones while the bands 0complete the inclosing circles and protect from injury or chipping theouter portions of the girdles that are most exposed to external contact;besides, the circles of gold composed of the wall or, arms 19 and bands0 make it possible to affect the color of the precious stones bycoloring the gold that comes around the girdles.

Projections d located at the extremities of the arms I) and also formedat the intersection of the wall a and armsb may be employed and withsuitable tools be pressed into beads or other forms 'over'the girdles inthe finished setting to hold the previous stones in place.

Cluster settings made according to my improvement are not expensive toconstruct, they possess ample strength, are light and airy in appearanceand set off the precious stones to the best advantage because thegreater portion of the stone is uncovered.

I am aware that settings for precious stones have been made comprising aring portion and a plurality of projections therefrom but these aredistinctly disconnected with one an- 5 other save at the ring portion.In these settings the edges of the stones are unprotected and they areliable to be struck and chipped or unset.

I claim as my invention 10 1. The cluster setting for precious stones,

comprising a central Wall or foundation, tapering arms extendingoutwardly from said wall and narrow bands connecting the extremities ofsaid arms and covering the edges 15 of the precious stones the settingbeing open at the back, substantially as set forth.

2. The open back cluster setting for precious stones, comprising acentral wall or foundation, arms extending outwardly from said wallMILTON E. OPPENHEIMER.

Witnesses:

G110. T. PINCKNEY, HAROLD SERRELL.

